System and method for using gestures in autonomous parking

Abstract

A method of providing parking assistance in a vehicle includes identifying with a controller in a vehicle a plurality of available parking spaces for the vehicle, generating with a video output device operatively connected to the controller an interface with a graphical depiction of the vehicle and the plurality of available parking spaces, receiving a first input gesture with a gesture input device to select one parking space from the plurality of available parking spaces, and operating the vehicle to park the vehicle in the one parking space using the controller configured with a parking assistance service in the vehicle.

What is claimed: 
     
       1. A method of providing parking assistance in a vehicle comprising:
 identifying with a controller in a vehicle a plurality of available parking spaces for the vehicle; 
 generating with a video output device operatively connected to the controller an interface with a graphical depiction of the vehicle and the plurality of available parking spaces; 
 receiving a first input gesture with a gesture input device to select one parking space from the plurality of available parking spaces; 
 receiving a second input gesture with the gesture input device corresponding to one of a first linear input gesture in a first direction or a second linear input gesture in a second direction in a location corresponding to the one parking space on the video output device; 
 operating with the controller an autonomous parking system in the vehicle to move the vehicle into the one parking space in a parallel parking mode in response to the second input gesture being the first linear input gesture; and 
 operating with the controller the autonomous parking system in the vehicle to move the vehicle into the one parking space in a perpendicular parking mode in response to the second input gesture being the second linear input gesture. 
 
     
     
       2. The method of  claim 1 , the generating of the graphical depiction of the vehicle and the plurality of available parking spaces further comprising:
 selecting with the controller at least one camera that views the one parking space; and 
 generating a video output from the selected camera depicting the one parking space. 
 
     
     
       3. The method of  claim 1  further comprising:
 receiving speech input with an audio input device operatively connected to the controller to select one camera from a plurality of cameras in the vehicle; and 
 generating a video output from the one camera depicting the one parking space. 
 
     
     
       4. The method of  claim 1 , the generating of the graphical depiction of the vehicle and the plurality of available parking spaces further comprising:
 receiving a third input gesture with the gesture input device to select a first camera from a plurality of cameras in the vehicle; and 
 generating a video output from the first camera depicting the one parking space. 
 
     
     
       5. The method of  claim 4  further comprising:
 identifying with a range finding sensor in the vehicle a range between the vehicle and an object proximate to the one parking space; and 
 generating a graphical indicator corresponding to the identified range with the video output from the first camera. 
 
     
     
       6. The method of  claim 4  further comprising:
 receiving a fourth input gesture with the gesture input device during generation of the video output from the first camera; and 
 adjusting at least one of a pan, tilt, and zoom of the first camera in response to the fourth input gesture. 
 
     
     
       7. The method of  claim 6  further comprising:
 identifying with the controller the fourth input gesture corresponding to a request for a pan or a tilt of the first camera to a region around the vehicle outside of a predetermined field of view for the first camera; 
 selecting with the controller a second camera in the plurality of cameras in the vehicle with a predetermined field of view that includes the region around the vehicle; and 
 generating the video output from the second camera. 
 
     
     
       8. The method of  claim 1 , the operation of the autonomous parking system further comprising:
 operating with the controller the autonomous parking system in the vehicle to move the vehicle into the one parking space in the parallel parking mode in response to the first linear input gesture being a linear input gesture that is horizontal with respect to a surface of the gesture input device; and 
 operating with the controller the autonomous parking system in the vehicle to move the vehicle in the perpendicular parking mode in response to the second linear input gesture being a linear input gesture that is vertical with respect to the surface of the gesture input device. 
 
     
     
       9. The method of  claim 1 , the identification of the plurality of available parking spaces further comprising:
 receiving with a wireless network device in the vehicle data corresponding to a map of a parking facility that includes the plurality of available parking spaces; 
 identifying with a global positioning system (GPS) device in the vehicle a location of the vehicle in relation to the map of the parking facility; and 
 generating with the video output device a graphical depiction of the map including the plurality of available parking spaces and the vehicle in the map with reference to the identified location of the vehicle. 
 
     
     
       10. A system for providing parking assistance in a vehicle comprising:
 a video output device configured to generate a graphical display for an operator in the vehicle; 
 a gesture input device configured to receive input gestures from the operator; 
 an autonomous parking system; and 
 a controller, the controller being operatively connected to the video output device, the gesture input device, and the autonomous parking system and the controller being configured to:
 identify a plurality of available parking spaces for the vehicle; 
 generate with the video output device an interface with a graphical depiction of the vehicle and the plurality of available parking spaces; 
 receive a first input gesture with a gesture input device to select one parking space from the plurality of available parking spaces; 
 receive a second input gesture corresponding to one of a first linear input gesture in a first direction or a second linear input gesture in a second direction in a location corresponding to the one parking space on the video output device; 
 operate the autonomous parking system in the vehicle to move the vehicle into the one parking space in a parallel parking mode in response to the second input gesture being the first linear input gesture; and 
 operate the autonomous parking system in the vehicle to move the vehicle into the one parking space in a perpendicular parking mode in response to the second input gesture being the second linear input gesture. 
 
 
     
     
       11. The system of  claim 10  further comprising:
 a plurality of cameras in the vehicle; and 
 the controller being operatively connected to the plurality of cameras and further configured to:
 select one camera that views the one parking space from the plurality of cameras in the vehicle; and 
 generate a video output from the one camera with the video output device to depict the one parking space. 
 
 
     
     
       12. The system of  claim 10  further comprising:
 an audio input device in the vehicle; 
 a plurality of cameras in the vehicle; and 
 the controller being operatively connected to the audio input device and the plurality of cameras and further configured to:
 receive speech input with audio input device to select one camera that views the one parking space from a plurality of cameras in the vehicle; and 
 generate a video output from the one camera to depict the one parking space. 
 
 
     
     
       13. The system of  claim 10  further comprising:
 a plurality of cameras in the vehicle; and 
 the controller being operatively connected to the plurality of cameras and further configured to:
 receive a third input gesture with the gesture input device to select a first camera from the plurality of cameras; and 
 generate a video output from the first camera with the video output device to depict the one parking space. 
 
 
     
     
       14. The system of  claim 13  further comprising:
 a range finding sensor in the vehicle; and 
 the controller being operatively connected to the range finding sensor and further configured to:
 identify a range between the vehicle and an object that is proximate to the one parking space with the range finding sensor; and 
 generate a graphical indicator corresponding to the identified range with the video output from the first camera on the video output device. 
 
 
     
     
       15. The system of  claim 13 , the controller being further configured to:
 receive a fourth input gesture with the gesture input device during generation of the video output from the first camera; and 
 adjust at least one of a pan, tilt, and zoom of the first camera in response to the fourth input gesture. 
 
     
     
       16. The system of  claim 15 , the controller being further configured to:
 identify the fourth input gesture corresponding to a request for a pan or a tilt of the first camera to a region around the vehicle outside of a predetermined field of view for the first camera; 
 select a second camera in the plurality of cameras in the vehicle with a predetermined field of view that includes the region around the vehicle; and 
 generate the video output from the second camera with the video output device. 
 
     
     
       17. The system of  claim 10 , the controller being further configured to:
 operate the autonomous parking system in the vehicle to move the vehicle into the one parking space in the parallel parking mode in response to the first linear input gesture being a linear input gesture that is horizontal with respect to a surface of the gesture input device; and 
 operate the autonomous parking system in the vehicle to move the vehicle into the one parking space vehicle in the perpendicular parking mode in response to the second linear input gesture being a linear input gesture that is vertical with respect to a surface of the gesture input device. 
 
     
     
       18. The system of  claim 10  further comprising;
 a wireless network device in the vehicle; 
 a global positioning system (GPS) device in the vehicle; and 
 the controller being operatively connected to the wireless network device and the GPS device, the controller being further configured to:
 receive data corresponding to a map of a parking facility that includes the plurality of available parking spaces with the wireless network device; 
 identify a location of the vehicle in relation to the map of the parking facility with the GPS; and 
 generate a graphical depiction of the map including the plurality of available parking spaces and the vehicle in the map with reference to the identified location of the vehicle with the video output device.